The General Assembly today passed legislation that could change the way Ohio’s Congressional districts are drawn. It has bipartisan support as well as the approval of citizens’ groups that had planned to put their own redistricting plan on the ballot.

But Mark Salling – a researcher with the CSU Levin College of Urban Affairs -- says the provision against dividing some large cities could still result in partisan gerrymandering.

“Trying to keep some larger whole municipalities together in one district sounds like a good idea on the face of it, but that really means that the large urban counties can be used to pack Democrats into as few districts as possible,” said Salling.

The bill says Cleveland cannot be divided into separate districts unless required by federal law. The proposed reforms will now go before voters in the May primary.